As it Comes
by Wolfing Pups
Summary: A final meeting between two friends before they answer the call of duty. K for nudity


**Title:** As it Comes

**Author:** Kane

**Rating:** PG (nudity, angst)

**Summary:** A final meeting between two friends before they answer the call of duty.

* * *

His Chudley Cannons shirt was tight around him now, and jeans were a little too short. His shoes squished his toes and after he slipped them off, his toes hugged the grass through the hole in his sock. The socks went next, and then his too-short-trousers, and finally his tight-fitting shirt. All but his pants fell to the grass next to the tree.

But soon, after a second thought, the pants joined the rest of the outfit.

In any other circumstance, he would have jumped right into the water, without a care, causing a huge splash and making his friends around him pout and laugh. But he was alone this time, so he allowed himself to slowly adjust to the cool water. As he went further into the lake's depths, his body attempted to heat itself back up with small shivers and goosebumps.

He couldn't take it anymore, and when the water reached mid-thigh, he decided to lift his legs and let his body fall completely under. When he resurfaced, he wiped his eyes and focused on the other side of the lake.

Nothing was happening.

Ron Weasley was alone. His sister wasn't sunbathing on shore or being wooed by any number of admirers. His best friend wasn't reading against the trunk of a tree. His other best friend wasn't sitting on the side, gazing at the clouds.

He didn't expect any of them to be joining him. It was midnight, and they were all sleeping in their dorms. He was down by the lake, swimming for what he believed would probably the last time. As he wondered what his many friends were dreaming about, he realized they were probably not sleeping, and instead doing exactly what he was, and enjoying something favorable. One last go at happiness. One last chance at normality.

Finally, the water felt perfect to him. Every bit of him was surrounded by the perfect temperature. He leaned onto his back and floated, gazing at what stars he could find through the clouds.

"Tomorrow's the day, then."

Ron stumbled in the water and looked around until he could find the voice. Hermione stood next to the heap of clothes. She looked down at them, and her eyebrow shot up when she saw the underwear. She used her index finger to pick it up and hold it out to him. "Nude?"

"It feels wonderful," he choked, knowing full well his ears were red.

Hermione slipped off her shoes and sat down at the edge of the lake, dipping her toes into the water. Ron closed in, keeping enough distance from her to ensure nothing became noticeable through the merky liquid.

"Harry's finally gone to bed," his friend sighed, sounding relieved.

"You should, too. It's going to be a long day, tomorrow. We'll need our energy."

"I'm not going in if you're not, Ron," Hermione answered in her classic "just try and make me" tone. Ron knew better than to argue or demand, and there was no way in hell he was leaving the comfort of the lake. He didn't say anything in reply.

Ron took a big breath and dove under the water, watching Hermione's feet bounce gently. On any other day, he would have grabbed them and started to drag her under until her pleas became unbearable. Tonight though was too...too _something_ for such childish behavior.

He felt like crying. He felt like going home to the Burrow and sobbing into his mother's arms, like he had done when he was a child. He also felt like cursing. He felt like cursing every terrible word he knew to the sky and ground, or anything that would listen and wouldn't curse back.

But mostly, he felt like crying.

Death was lingering just outside his door, and he knew it. He had already sworn to himself that if the time came, he would give his life for Harry. He knew Hermione was willing to do the same, although neither of them had ever discussed it. Discussing the future was never on the table for them. They were always too involved in the present. How was Harry? Was he eating? Was he sleeping? Was he training? The future was something they only considered on sleepless nights when they were alone in their respective beds.

Hermione's feet had disappeared from sight. He smiled to himself when he found her taking off her trousers and shirt. Unlike him, she left her pants and bra on while she slid into the water. He watched her shiver as she entered the lake carefully. He pulled away, remembering he was completely naked.

"I can barely see anything," she said as she drew closer. "The moonlight is dim."

"Please, Hermione, no closer! I'm completely starkers!"

"Well," she thought for a moment. "Would you rather get out and put your pants on? Of course, I wouldn't take my eyes off you, as it's late at night, and there's a full moon. I'd want to make sure you didn't get attacked by werewolves or something."

"Or Crumple-Horned Snorkacks?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "They aren't real! How many times do I have to tell Luna--" she trailed off as Ron started laughing. "What? What in Merlin's beard is so funny?"

"It doesn't matter that we're facing death tomorrow," Ron explained, his chuckling slowly ending, "you still take any opportunity to prove yourself right. You never change."

Crossing her arms, Hermione pouted. "Let's hope not! I've gotten through seven years of school without changing too dramatically. Imminent doom isn't going to change me either."

Ron returned to floating on his freckled back. He closed his eyes for a moment, but all he could see was green light shooting around him, like a bad dream. He opened them again. He had to get his mind off what would happen tomorrow.

"What do you want to do when we leave Hogwarts?"

Hermione was in a deeper area of the lake. She dove under, soaking herself completely before answering him. "You know I want to join the Ministry. I plan to fight for blood rights. Muggleborns, werewolves, half-giants--"

"No, no," Ron said, realising he asked the wrong question. "I mean, what do you want to _be_?"

"Oh." She fell silent for a moment, and Ron knew then that he had stated the question correctly this time. He waited patiently for her to reply. "A wife. A mother. You know. Successful." She kicked herself towards him. She polietly looked the other way, as she realised the moonlight was showing off his entire front. "What about you?"

"Me?" Ron didn't expect her to ask back, which he now knew was a foolish thing to expect. "I...I don't know. I haven't really thought about it." He took a moment, like she had, to consider his answer. He wanted so many things for his future: get married, have children, grow old, and die peacefully. "Be normal, I guess."

"Normal?"

"Yes. Normal. I want all the things everyone wants. A family, a good job and home. A life where I look forward to the days ahead of me. When I'm not..."

"Afraid?"

"Yes."

Ignoring any embarassment, Hermione approached him. Before she could see anything, he shifted so he was wading in the water. He met Hermione halfway and as she came into focus, he frowned. She had tears in her eyes, and he winced when one of them fell into the water. As he watched the ripple grow, he wished he was brave enough to join her in crying for the future, crying for what he was sure he'd be deprived.

He matched her level in the water and hugged her tightly , unable to let go. He felt her drop her head onto his shoulder and cry heavily into his freckled skin. He felt her chest heave with each sob.

"It's alright," he awkwardly said as he tried to comfort her. "We're eighteen. We've spent seven years together. We've had a good run."

She looked at him, her arms still around him and tears still falling. "You're ready to...let go?"

Ron tried to look away from her but found he was unable. "If it means Harry lives, then yes, I am."

Hermione continued to stare at him for a moment, and they allowed the soft water waves to push them closer together. "You're braver than you think, Ron. You need to give yourself more credit."

"I think it's too late to change my self-esteem, Hermione," Ron said, his voice faint.

"Ron, if you try to save me, I will kill you."

Hermione's comment suprised him. With perfect honesty, he had never considered whether or not he'd die for her. He had foolishly taken her for granted. She was Hermione. She could be petrified, knocked-out...it didn't matter. She'd always come back to him. She was invincible. It was always Harry they worried about. Never each other. He struggled to find a reply.

"I promise, I won't save you," he said, his heart and head feeling heavy. "If you promise never to put yourself in that position."

"I'm going tomorrow, and you can't stop me," she snapped.

"I wasn't going to stop you. I know better."He let her go and swam to shore. "You'd better not save me, or I'll give you an earful," he said over his shoulder.

"Deal," she said, forcing a smile. She followed him to shore, so he ducked behind the tree while he dressed. He heard her mutter a drying spell, and waited until she was dressed to join her on the other side.

"Time for bed," she said. He smiled at how much she already sounded like a mother. He nodded in agreement and held out his hand. She sadly smiled and took it, and headed toward the castle with him.

"Ron," Hermione whispered. "Do you really think tomorrow is the end?"

Furrowing his brow and feeling tired, Ron shook his head. "I have no idea. It's war. It's a battle. It's possible, but...I don't know. I prefer not to think about the future."

"Take it as it comes?"

"Like we always have."

Hermione squeezed Ron's hand and smiled at him. He hoped that she was pushing away any fear she had, and she would sleep dreamlessly tonight. He hoped that she'd survive tomorrow, and leave Hogwarts with full marks and get her job at the Ministry, where she'd help put an end to the blood prejudice, and find a man and marry him and have children, because Ron knew that Hermione would make a beautiful wife and mother.

It was the last time he'd bother thinking about the future. After that, as he climbed into bed silently, determined not to wake Harry, he swore off contemplating the future. Whatever happened tomorrow he was ready for, and whatever happened after that..."Take it as it comes," he whispered to himself.

After figthing off the green lightning in his mind, he finally fell asleep.


End file.
